The Only Righteous Man, Jesus

John 8:7-9 ” So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone and the woman standing in the midst.

I am a child of God, adopted in Christ and I long for a righteous world. That righteous world is my true homeland and I am, at this present time, an alien in a strange land. The world I live in is unrighteous and Jesus is the only righteous man I have ever known. Since the beginning, He is the only man who walked the earth seeking not to accomplish His own will but instead, the Will of God. If I didn’t know, Jesus I wouldn’t even have a true concept of righteousness because the world I now live in is wholly unrighteous. It is true that a few good people may, in their lifetime, manage to perform, in complete obedience to God, one or two righteous acts but Jesus is the only man to live a completely righteous life.

The Pharisees of, Jesus’ time thought of themselves as righteous but their righteousness was that which is produced by adherence to a religion, self-righteousness. The Pharisees, like many religious people today, were consumed with doing great works for God for their own glory. They made a pretence of holding to the Law, given through Moses and used it to put sinners to death; while avoiding the fact that under that same Law, they also, were deserving of death. The Pharisees were not righteous, for they sought their own glory and not the glory of God. Many religious people today do the same and it is no wonder that so many wars are fought on the basis of protecting religion. The Pharisees were so fierce in protecting their religion, which brought them power and glory, that they not only killed many sinners, who were no different from themselves, they also, killed the only begotten Son of God. Jesus came to save the world by offering eternal life to those who believe in Him. This is the Will of God, concerning Christ Jesus. Eternal life is the fruit of the true righteousness found in, Jesus. Death is the fruit of the false righteousness found in religion. God doesn’t desire any great works done in His name by human beings and He is not impressed by religious observance and religious works. God desires obedience and His work done through His children, who obey Him out of love.

God doesn’t approve of adultery. If He did His Law, the Ten Commandments, written through, Moses, wouldn’t speak against it. If the world could be saved from sin and death by the Law, the work of, Jesus on the cross would not be necessary. The Law can only bring death because there are no righteous people who can be kept purified by it. One man is put to death and the man who executes him deserves death, also. If the Law had its end, there would be no one left living. All human beings would die. This is demonstrated clearly, in the scripture that opens this post. Jesus is the only righteous man. The only man able to pronounce death upon all others and not also, be deserving of death. Even though, He could have put the adulterous woman to death and remained righteous, He chose forgiveness because Jesus didn’t come to destroy the world but to save it. Jesus is Life and choosing forgiveness over condemnation is to choose life over death.

Jesus didn’t live as the Pharisees lived, acknowledging God’s Law, making a pretense of it, and living for their own glory. Jesus was a truly, righteous man and lived the Ten Commandments;His life affirmed God’s commands and He was not condemned by them. Through, Jesus God’s Will is done on earth as it is in Heaven and Jesus came not to bring death to human beings and remain the only one living, but to save the world through His eternal life. God has no desire for anyone to die but for all to live and have fellowship with Him. God’s desire is for human beings to love Him and allow Him to work through them, just as He works through, Jesus. “God gave His only begotten Son”, the only righteous Man with the right to pronounce death on the world, to die the death the Law demands for those who disobey God and break it, so unrighteous sinners could live. Amazing! It takes my breath away! I who am wholly unrighteous has become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and though, by my actions, I have earned death, by faith in, Jesus, I have received eternal life. The life that, Jesus earned by His complete righteousness is now freely, offered to all because of His death.

Jesus is not passive and weak, as many like to think of Him, today. Jesus is the only righteous man to walk the earth, in complete obedience to God. He is the only man who is not condemned to death by the Ten Commandments and from that position of power, Jesus chose to die and purchase forgiveness,life, for those who are condemned under the commandments of God. Just as He chose to suffer and die, He chose to pick His life up again and by the life He now lives in believers, we are redeemed. Those who believe in, Jesus are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and Jesus lives in them and by the power of His righteousness, changes them and brings them to true repentance. By the power of, Jesus living in believers, they are empowered to conquer their sin. This process of redemption is also, the process that means the redemption of the world from the power of sin and death. All who believe in, Jesus will one day, awake and find themselves just like, Jesus, a righteous man; and we will also, be righteous and live in a righteous world. Though the world appears to be dying, consumed by sin and death, without hope, I know this righteous world will someday, appear because of the work of righteousness that, Jesus is doing in me. If God can have mercy upon me and save me through, Jesus, He can also, save the world through, Jesus. As I am being perfected by the life of the only righteous man, living in me, I thirst for that righteous world to come. I know it will come for God promised it, long ago.

“Thy Kingdom come, thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven” Amen!