Awake to Righteousness

“Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God” 1Corinthians 15:34 

Deuteronomy shares a parallel word:

“Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. “

How? I must Know Him.

“For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.” Deuteronomy 10:16-19

A glimpse into the heart of God? Here’s another:

Psalm 19:35 speaks of His “gentleness” — God’s lowliness, by virtue of which His eyes look down upon that which is on the earth and the poor and contrite ones are His favorite dwelling-place. see Isaiah 57:15. K and D

More of Our God:

” Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?   He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap,  to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.  He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 113:5-9

Friends, Jesus came to show us the Father, in fact, “no one comes to the Father but by Him.” John 14:6 If I would understand the Father’s heart toward me, I find that same heart in the Son.

  “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.” Matthew 14:14

In Luke 15, A father’s heart was broken when his son asked for his inheritance and then proceeded to waste it on riotous living. As to be expected the money ran out. At a terribly low point the son came to himself. He looked homeward, never expecting to be accepted again as a son, but perhaps as a worker. He made a move towards home. The waiting father ran to him, kissed him on the neck, and welcomed him home with celebration. He saw the Father’s heart.

The hardened brother in this story of Luke 15, had not a circumcised heart. There was no tenderness in his bosom. Insensitive, uncaring, unfeeling, the big brother dispised what took place. His heart was hardened.

But can it be renewed?

“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall he in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.”— Zechariah xii. 10, 11.

From Spurgeon:

“It is not in fallen man to renew his own heart. Can the adamant turn itself to wax, or the granite soften itself to clay? Only he that stretcheth out the heavens and layeth the foundation of the earth can form and reform the spirit of man within him. The power to make the rock of our nature flow with rivers of repentance is not in the rock itself. The power lies in the omnipotent Spirit of God, and he delights to exercise this power. The Spirit of God is prompt to give life and feeling. He moved of old upon the face of the waters, and by his power order came out of confusion. (See Genesis chapter 1)

That same Spirit at this time broods over our souls, and reduces the chaos of our natural state to light and life and obedience. There lies the hope of our ruined nature. Jehovah who made us can make us over again.

God himself, who melts the icebergs of the northern sea, must make your soul to yield up its hardness in the presence of his love.

Nothing short of the work of God within you can effect this.”

The love of God melts a heart, forgiveness too. Mercy which creates an even place for us .

in closing, ” …we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”  2Corinthians 5:21 

Beloved, view Him becoming sin for us, then awake to righteousness. In Hebrews we see Christ our High Priest, touched with the feelings of our infirmity, having been tempted in all points…”As our priest He identifies with us, yes in all of our infirmities. We identify with Him in His righteousness.

lets define “identity.”
: to perceive or state the identity of (someone or something) to ascertain the identity of (someone or something that is unfamiliar or unknown)nto conceive as united (as in spirit, outlook, or principle)to cause to be or become identical

Friends, we must perceive Him, as in !John 3:16 “” Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. “

We must know Him. see ourselves in union with Him. See ourselves one with Him.

Now awake to righteousness!