Foreword
I have read of God's justice and righteousness numerous times in the Bible, but the importance of it for God’s people just recently hit home, so I decided to look into it more so that I can figure out how to apply it to my life. I want to know what God is looking for from His people in regards to justice and righteousness. It is remarkable how much the Bible has to say about it. God loves justice and righteousness, and not only does He want His people to love it too, but He actually requires them to do just and righteous works, which makes total sense, considering the fact that God is just and righteous, and that the Kingdom of God is a "place" where justice and righteousness resides. This is not merely a theological subject, but I think it is a critically important subject for Christians to understand, as well as a vital component if the church is going to obtain the authority that it should have. The church in other parts of the world are doing extraordinary things in regards to justice and righteousness that I would have never thought of or imagined, and I would love to see the church in America start doing the same things in order to re-attain its authority.
I think for many Christians, doing what is just and right involves getting involved in politics to change public policies, advocating for geopolitical nations that appear to be just and righteous, or supporting government operated military and law enforcement agencies which are supposed to uphold and enforce justice. These might be ways for Christians to get involved in just and righteous works, but I'm not sure that they are what God has in mind.
The modern American church looks little like the example that we are given in the Bible. The church used to be highly regarded and respected by believers and unbelievers alike. It had influence on the culture because it followed Jesus as its Lord. It did not need to get involved in politics or have politicians on its side to fight for it. It was its own entity working for justice and righteousness, apart from the government. Its work was focused on the Kingdom of God, and not on securing its own rights or saving an earthly nation from self destruction. This is a primary shift from today's American church which relies heavily on political allies and government, and for the most part, has little zeal for the Kingdom of God.
Christians left England and came to America to get away from the Church of England which was controlled by the government. They wrote the First Amendment when they settled America, which prohibits the government from establishing a religion in order to have a separation between the church and the state. However, much of the modern American church wants to form a union with the government so that it can keep its freedom of religion. It's ironic. I think it was N.T. Wright who I recently heard say, "What we have learned from history, is that we have learned nothing from history."
So apart from politics, what are the works of justice and righteousness that God expects from His people? That is the question that I want answered and that sparked this study.
Other articles that I have written that are related with righteousness and justice are Judged According to Works, and Bible Word Definitions: Salvation. I have a desire to produce free Biblical resources that will help disciple people, and The Harvest Fields is one avenue that I can do that through, so please feel free to use this post, as well as others on The Harvest Fields to conduct your own Bible studies on various topics.
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Key Passages
Isaiah 5:1-30
Matthew 21:33-46
John 15
The Song of the Vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-30):
God's judgement of Israel because they yielded only bad fruit (Isaiah's prediction of the Babylonian exile)
[1] I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. [2] He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.
[3] “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. [4] What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? [5] Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. [6] I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it.”
[7] The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.
[8] Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land. [9] The Lord Almighty has declared in my hearing: “Surely the great houses will become desolate, the fine mansions left without occupants. [10] A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath of wine; a homer of seed will yield only an ephah of grain.”
[11] Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine. [12] They have harps and lyres at their banquets, pipes and timbrels and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of his hands. [13] Therefore my people will go into exile for lack of understanding; those of high rank will die of hunger and the common people will be parched with thirst. [14] Therefore Death expands its jaws, opening wide its mouth; into it will descend their nobles and masses with all their brawlers and revelers. [15] So people will be brought low and everyone humbled, the eyes of the arrogant humbled. [16] But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts. [17] Then sheep will graze as in their own pasture; lambs will feed among the ruins of the rich.
[18] Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes, [19] to those who say, “Let God hurry; let him hasten his work so we may see it. The plan of the Holy One of Israel— let it approach, let it come into view, so we may know it.”
[20] Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. [21] Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. [22] Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, [23] who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent. [24] Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.
[25] Therefore the Lord’s anger burns against his people; his hand is raised and he strikes them down. The mountains shake, and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.
[26] He lifts up a banner for the distant nations, he whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Here they come, swiftly and speedily! [27] Not one of them grows tired or stumbles, not one slumbers or sleeps; not a belt is loosened at the waist, not a sandal strap is broken. [28] Their arrows are sharp, all their bows are strung; their horses’ hooves seem like flint, their chariot wheels like a whirlwind. [29] Their roar is like that of the lion, they roar like young lions; they growl as they seize their prey and carry it off with no one to rescue. [30] In that day they will roar over it like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks at the land, there is only darkness and distress; even the sun will be darkened by clouds.
Israel had turned away from the Lord, therefore His anger burned against them and He drove them from their land, causing it to become desolate. However, He lifted up a Banner for the distant nations. When He whistles for those at the ends of the nations, they come swiftly and speedily, prepared for battle. They are ready and willing to serve Him and fight for Him. In that day, they will roar over their prey like the roaring of the sea. And the land will be covered in darkness and distress; even the sun will be darkened by clouds.
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Jesus's Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-46):
Jesus's prediction of God's judgement of Israel because they yielded only bad fruit
Matthew 21:33-46 NIV
[33] “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. [34] When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
[35] “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. [36] Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. [37] Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
[38] “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ [39] So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
[40] “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
[41] “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
[42] Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’ ?
[43] “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. [44] Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”
[45] When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. [46] They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
Scholars believe that Jesus's Parable of the Tenants is based on Isaiah's Song of the Vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-30) (NIV Study Bible text note on Isaiah 5:1). In both passages, God is proclaiming judgement upon Israel for producing bad fruit. What kind of fruit was He looking for? A crop of good grapes. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed (oppression NKJV); for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.
In Jesus's Parable, when God, The Landowner, sent His servants, the prophets, to collect his fruit from the harvest, a crop of good grapes; a harvest of justice and righteousness, the tenants stoned and killed them. So the Landowner sent His son last, after all the prophets, saying, "They will respect my Son." But the tenants threw him out of the vineyard and killed him too.
Just as in the Song of the Vineyard, God did not find good fruits of justice and righteousness in Israel when Jesus came, but only bad fruit. And also just as in the Song of the Vineyard, God's judgement was going to come upon Israel. Jerusalem and the temple were going to be destroyed, and the kingdom of God was going to be taken from them and given to a nation bearing the fruits of justice and righteousness. His Banner, Jesus, was going to be lifted up for the distant nations, He would whistle for those at the ends of the earth, and they would come running to Him, ready and willing to produce the fruits of justice and righteousness.
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The Vine and the Branches (John 15): God's judgement of those who do not remain in Him and produce fruit
John 15:1-21 ESV
[1] “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. [2] Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. [3] Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. [5] I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. [6] If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. [7] If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. [8] By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. [9] As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. [10] If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. [11] These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
[12] “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. [13] Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. [14] You are my friends if you do what I command you. [15] No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. [16] You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. [17] These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
[18] “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. [19] If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. [20] Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. [21] But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me."
"The vine is frequently used in the Old Testament as a symbol of Israel. When this imagery is used, Israel is often shown as lacking in some way. Jesus, however, is the 'true vine.'" (NIV Study Bible text note on John 15:1.)
In Isaiah's Song of the Vineyard, God is the owner of the vineyard. In Jesus's Parable of the Tenants, God is the Landowner and the owner of the vineyard. In John 15, Jesus is the true vine, and God the Father is the Vinedresser.
The Vinedresser cuts off every branch in Jesus that does not bear fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it produces more fruit. In order for a branch to produce fruit, it must remain in Christ, and He will remain in them. If anyone does not remain in Him, he is like a branch that withers and dies. Such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. Those who bear much fruit, glorify God, and show themselves to be Jesus's disciples.
Jesus's teaching of the Vine and the Branches in John 15 is consistent with the message God spoke through Isaiah to Israel in the Song of the Vineyard, and his Parable of the Tenants. Israel did not remain in God and bear the fruits of justice and righteousness, so they were cut off and burned in the fire of God's judgment, and the kingdom of God was given to a nation who would bear its fruit. Those whom He whistled to at the ends of the earth - this other nation which the Kingdom of God would be given - would come and bear much fruit, showing themselves to be His faithful disciples. However, they must remain in Jesus and continue to produce good fruit, or they too will be cut off, thrown into the fire and burned.
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Other Scriptures Regarding Justice and Righteousness
Below are several passages pertaining to God's righteousness and justice. There are many more besides these.
Proverbs 21:3
[3] To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Proverbs 21:7-8
[7] The violence of the wicked will destroy them, Because they refuse to do justice. [8] The way of a guilty man is perverse; But as for the pure, his work is right.
Proverbs 21:15
[15] It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.
Proverbs 21:21
[21] He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
Proverbs 21:25-26
[25] The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor. [26] He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare.
Isaiah 1:16-17
[16] “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, [17] Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow."
Micah 6:8
[8] He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
Amos 5:22-24
[22] Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. [23] Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. [24] But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.
Isaiah 61:8
[8] “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an everlasting covenant.
Psalms 37:27-29
[27] Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell forevermore. [28] For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. [29] The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever.
Psalms 106:3
[3] Blessed are those who keep justice, And he who does righteousness at all times!
Proverbs 28:5
[5] Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the Lord understand all.
Jeremiah 22:3
[3] Thus says the Lord: “Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
Proverbs 31:8-9
[8] Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. [9] Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.
Psalms 37:3-6
[3] Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. [4] Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. [5] Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. [6] He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.
Matthew 25:40, 45
[40] And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
[45] Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
Luke 11:42
[42] “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone."
Colossians 3:23-25
[23] And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, [24] knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. [25] But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.
I Thessalonians 5:15
[15] See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
James 1:27
[27] Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Psalms 119:121
[121] I have done justice and righteousness; Do not leave me to my oppressors.
Psalms 99:4
[4] The King’s strength also loves justice; You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
Isaiah 33:5
[5] The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
Jeremiah 22:15-17
[15] “Shall you reign because you enclose yourself in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, And do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. [16] He judged the cause of the poor and needy; Then it was well. Was not this knowing Me?” says the Lord. [17] “Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness, For shedding innocent blood, And practicing oppression and violence.”
Ezekiel 45:9
[9] ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Enough, O princes of Israel! Remove violence and plundering, execute justice and righteousness, and stop dispossessing My people,” says the Lord God.
I Kings 10:9
[9] Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”
Ecclesiastes 5:8
[8] If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.
Jeremiah 33:15
[15] ‘In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
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God's Righteousness and Justice
Love is the primary characteristic of God that is promoted in the modern church, but do you know that righteousness and justice are also two of His primary characteristics? When reading through the Old and New Testaments, you may notice that God's righteousness and justice is spoken of just as often, if not more, than His love is. The entire story of the Bible is about a just and righteous God.
The apostle John wrote that God is love, but before that, David wrote that God is righteous:
"Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God." (Psalm 4:1).
Bible scholars say that "the "righteousness" of God in the Psalms (and frequently elsewhere throughout the Old Testament) refers to the faithfulness with which He acts. This faithfulness is in full accordance with His commitments to His people and with His status as the divine King - to whom the powerless may look for protection, the oppressed for redress and the needy for help." (NIV Study Bible text note on Psalm 4:1).
God's righteousness and justice, which are used interchangeably in the Bible, includes His faithfulness to His people and His status as the King which includes: His protection of the powerless, His redress for the oppressed, and His help for the needy. It also includes His love and His goodness. In fact, justice and righteousness is love and goodness. Look at what Psalm 33:5 says:
"The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love." (NIV)
"He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord." (NKJV)
Psalm 36 also speaks of both God's love and righteousness:
[5] Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. [6] Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals...
[10] Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.
It is common in the Psalms to read of both God's love and righteousness in the same verse or passage. This is because God's justice, righteousness, and love all contribute to God’s goodness. They are the elements that make YHWH a good God.
Judged According to Works
The Bible teaches that we are all going to be judged according to our works. Please note that I'm not saying that the Bible teaches that we are saved by works, because that is not what I'm saying. The Bible does not teach that we are saved by our works. The Bible is crystal clear in teaching, however, that we are saved by grace through faith, not of works, for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, that we should walk in them. There is such a focus in the church on being saved by grace and not of works, that many miss the part of this verse that says that God's grace comes through faith, and that we were created for good works, and therefore we should walk in good works. God creates all people for good works, and when a person comes to faith in Christ, their good works is the evidence of their faith. The good works that Christians do because they are in Christ is what distinguishes God's people from everyone else.
The Bible is also crystal clear in teaching that God judges mankind according to their works. The truth of this is evident when we read the prophets and the history of Israel, including the prophecies of Jesus regarding Israel. It is also a prevalent teaching in the New Testament by Jesus, as well as many of the apostles and other writers of the New Testament. Jesus himself taught that when He returns to take control of the earth, that He will judge all mankind according to their works. My article, Judged According to Works, includes a fairly comprehensive list of Scriptures on the subject.
If we were created for good works and are going to be judged according to our works, it is important that we are working, and that we are doing the work that God wants us to be doing. This work includes works of justice and righteousness. The Bible contains countless passages related to His love for justice and righteousness, and His desire for His people to do works of justice and righteousness. Most of Proverbs as well as many of the Psalms could be summed up as writings about justice and righteousness.
Jesus warned that if His people are not doing works of justice and righteousness, and bearing the fruits of it, that they will be cut off from Him just as the Kingdom of Israel was. He warns that the fruits of justice and righteousness can only be produced if we remain in Him, and if we do not remain in Him, we will wither and die like a branch, and be thrown into the fire to be burned.
Unfortunately, many Christians hold to a theology that does not align with Jesus's teaching, so they ignore His commands, His teachings, and His warnings. But this is not merely about theology. It is about what a Christian is. It is about what the purpose of the church is. A Christian is someone who follows Jesus by obeying His teachings and commands. If someone holds to a theology that does not align with Jesus's teachings, then perhaps they need to question if their theology is Biblically accurate.
The church is the corporate people of God, who are created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Its purpose is the same as that of the individual Christian's, but to do it together as one people, and as one body. This is the will of God.
According to Jesus, if Christians or the church are not conducting the work which God has created them to do, He will cut them off from His people. Sadly, many Christians who ignore Jesus's teaching and warning about not doing the will of the Father, but are out doing their own thing, will be surprised at the judgement when they hear Jesus say to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"
Many Christians refuse to believe that God took His Kingdom from Israel because they did not produce good fruit, as Jesus said He did. These same people also do not believe that He will cut off His people for having faith that is dead and therefore not producing good fruit, as Jesus said will happen in John 15. However, the Bible teaches that salvation is by grace through faith, and that God's people are those who possess faith like Abraham. It goes on to teach that faith is accompanied by works, and that faith without works is dead. Furthermore, God's people are to not only be hearers of the word, but also doers of the word. Based on all of these teachings, one has to have faith in Jesus in order to be saved, and whoever does not have faith and the accompanying works, or does not remain in Him, will be cut off from God's people because they were saved by grace through faith for good works, and we will be judged according to those works.
I understand that this is not "the good news" that is preached today with a message that says, "Accept Jesus into your heart so you will go to heaven when you die", or "God's forgiveness is free, so He expects nothing from you, not even faith, repentance, or obedience". Even so, I believe this is the truth of what the Bible teaches. Whoever has the promise of heaven when they die, but do not live for God, are missing out on the purpose that God created them and saved them for.
Servanthood
Another thing that comes to mind regarding doing good works that produce good fruit, has to do with servanthood. Jesus said that He came to serve, not to be served. He said to His disciples, that unlike the world around them, whose rulers and people of greatness lord their authority over their subjects, they were to be servants and slaves.
Jesus demonstrated servanthood to His disciples by washing their feet, and then said to them, "You call me Lord and Teacher, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.".
The apostle Paul wrote, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus", and then goes on to describe how Jesus was while He was on earth. Even though Jesus is the image of God and viewed Himself as being equal with God, He did not seek to make a reputation, He took the form of a bondservant (slave), and He became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross, which was a humiliating death for criminals. This is the same mindset that Jesus's disciples, which are Christians, are to have.
The thought of being a servant or slave to Christ came to mind because I can imagine some Christians will reject the idea of God requiring His people to do good works, and also God judging His people according to their works, because they believe that God doesn't require anything from His people (except attending church on Sunday and tithing to it). However, I don't know any Christians who would argue against serving God. Most Christians believe that Jesus was a servant and that serving others characterizes what a Christian is. So, if all Christians believe that Jesus was a servant and that serving others is actually what it means to be a Christian, then why do some Christians believe that God does not require Christians to do good works? What is the difference between serving others and doing good works? There is no difference. It seems to me they haven't thought through their belief very well.
I know that there are some streams of Christianity out there who believe that Christians do not have to do anything, not even serve God or serve others. But this idea goes entirely against what the Bible unambiguously teaches. It is not the mind of Christ that Paul said Christians are required to have. Jesus was a servant, yet He is a Christian's Lord and Teacher. Christians are His servants. He said that a servant is not greater than his master. If Jesus is our Lord, then He is our Master, and we are not greater than Him. If He was a servant, then His people should also be servants. If a Christian believes that they do not need to serve because serving is a work and Christians are not required to do works, then they are going against what Jesus said, and living as if they are greater than Him, although I doubt that they actually believe they are greater than Jesus. Again, they just haven't thought through their belief very well.
If Jesus was a servant, and if we Christians are supposed to become more, and more like Him, then we will be servants too, and serving is doing good works which He will judge us on. In the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Jesus described the works that we will be judged by. He called those who did them (the sheep), "the righteous", and said that they will go to eternal life. The NIV Study Bible says about the righteous: "One of several terms used in the Old Testament for God's people. It presents them as those who honor God and order their lives in all things according to His will. In every human relationship they faithfully fulfill the obligations that the relationship entails, remembering that power and authority (of whatever sort: domestic, social, political, economic, religious, intellectual) are to be used to bless, not exploit."
The righteous are people who honor God by faithfully serving Him according to His will in all aspects of their lives, and they are the ones who will go to eternal life.
In contrast, those who called Him, "Lord", in the parable, but did not serve Him by doing good works according to God's will (the goats), Jesus called, "you cursed", and said that they will go away to everlasting punishment.
Whether they went on to eternal life, or away to everlasting punishment, was determined by whether or not Jesus judged them as being righteous or cursed, which He judged according to their works. This is how it will be for us at the judgement on the Last Day.
Below are three parables that describe six different types of servants, and how they will be judged:
1) the faithful servant who is found
doing good works when Jesus returns;
2) the evil servant who strays from Jesus
when his coming is delayed, and is
found doing evil works and turning to
worldly ways when Jesus returns;
3) the wise servant who is prepared
when Jesus returns;
4) the foolish servant who is not
prepared when Jesus returns;
5) the good and faithful servant who
produces more fruit with the talents
they are given;
6) the wicked, lazy, unprofitable servant
who buries the talent he was given and
produces no fruit with it.
Each parable supports what Jesus said in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, and each is about being prepared when He returns.
In the Parable of the Faithful and Evil Servant, Jesus said, "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods". The parable is about a servant who is doing the work that God wants Him to be doing. If he is doing the work of serving when his master comes, He is going to bless him by making him ruler over all His goods.
"But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
The servant who is found not doing the work of God, but doing bad things when his Master comes, is called, "evil", and is going to face the consequences of his behavior.
In the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, five are described as "wise", and five, "foolish", because the wise were prepared when the Bridegroom came, but the foolish "slumbered and slept" when the Bridegroom delayed in coming. The wise virgins who were ready went into the wedding, but the foolish virgins who were not ready waited until He was coming to get what they needed, so the door to the wedding was shut on them while they were out getting more oil. When they returned, they said, "Lord, Lord, open the door to us", but He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you".
In the Parable of the Talents, the two servants who gained more talents from the ones given to them by their master, were called his "good and faithful servant". He said that because they had been faithful over a few things, they would be made ruler over many things, and they were authorized to enter into the joy of their lord. Their master judged them as being faithful because their works were good, so he blessed them.
On the other hand, the servant who did nothing with what he was given, was called, "wicked and lazy", therefore his master took the talent from him, and gave it to the servant who already had ten of them. Then the wicked, lazy servant, who was also called, "unprofitable", was thrown into outer darkness by his master. The servant would experience weeping and gnashing of teeth. Similar to the Parables of the Faithful and Evil Servant, and the Parable of the Tenants, the servant who is found producing fruit for his Master when He comes to collect, will be blessed with inheriting the Kingdom of God and reigning with Christ over it, while the "wicked, lazy, unprofitable" servant will pay the consequences.
Each of these parables is about the Kingdom of God, and His servants. In each of them, the servants and virgins called their master, "Lord", and the master called them his "servants", even the ones who were found not producing fruit or prepared when He came. These servants are not about unbelievers, but believers who do nothing for the Kingdom of God while they wait for Jesus to come. I believe Jesus told these parables as warnings to believers to remain connected to the Vine while waiting for Him to come, to be prepared when He comes, and to use what He has given them to bear fruit for His Kingdom. This is consistent with the teachings found in Isaiah's Song of the Vineyard, Jesus's Vine and the Branches, His Parable of the Tenants, and His Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. God's people are to remain in Christ, doing works of justice and righteousness for the Kingdom of God, and they will be judged according to their works.
The Commands of Christ
When asked what the great commandment in the law is, Jesus said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"
Love is a verb, and requires action. Contrary to popular belief, it is not an emotion. "Love" used in these passages is the Greek "agape." Agape is not a feeling, but an act of will. It involves faithfulness, commitment, and sacrifice.
When Jesus instructed His followers to "love", He was instructing them to faithfully commit, and sacrificially show preference:
• to what God wants,
• to their neighbor in the same way they
want their neighbor to show preference
to them,
• to their enemies,
whether they feel love or not.
Loving God and loving others requires doing. Look at what the apostle John wrote to Christians, who must have been being taught by false teachers of Gnosticism that works for God are not required:
[16] By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. [17] But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? [18] My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. [19] And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. - 1 John 3:16-19
Alongwith being an apostle, John was an elder, who is believed by scholars to have been an overseer of the churches that were scattered throughout the Roman province of Asia. When John saw that false teachers had infiltrated the church, he refuted their teachings, and brought forth correction, as an apostle and elder should. This was his purpose for writing the letters to the churches.
John wrote to the church that Jesus laid down His life for us, and therefore we should lay down our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. He wrote that if we have worldly goods and see our brothers and sisters in need, but do not help them, the love of God does not abide in us. He wrote that we should not love in word or tongue, but in deed and in truth. He wrote that this is how we know that we are of the truth, and how our hearts are assured that we are in Christ.
This is very similar to what James wrote:
[15] If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, [16] and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? [17] Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." - James 2:15-17
A Christian by definition is someone who has faith and has the love of God in them. God's love provokes us to do good works. This is how God assures us that we are in Him, because God is love.
Love is not a feeling but an action, and if we do not obey Jesus's command to love God, or to love others by helping them (doing good works), then the love of God is not in us, and we do not have the assurance that we are in Christ. Our faith is dead.
When the lawyer asked Jesus what good thing he should do to have eternal life, Jesus responded, "if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments: 'You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ [19] ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Matthew 19:18-19)
Luke recorded the lawyer asking Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life, and Jesus responding by saying:
[27] “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” [28] And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:27-28).
Interestingly, Jesus did not answer by saying that he did not have to do anything to receive eternal life, or that works are not required in order to follow him. On the contrary, He informed him what he must do to enter into life: "Do this and you will live." Just as John said, if we love God and love others then we can be assured that we are in Christ and have eternal life.
Jesus instructed his disciples to love one another, and that their love for one another would distinguish them from the rest of the world:
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:34-35
This is another command that requires His people to do something, and to do it so that His people will be distinguished from the rest of the world, because the rest of the world does not have love for one another. Again, love requires action, and so does following Jesus.
Look what Jesus said about those who love Him and those who do not love Him:
“If you love me, keep my commands... Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them... Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me" (John 14:14, 21, 23-24).
Obedience to Jesus is a requirement that God has for His people because it assures us that we love Him and are in Him through faith in Him. Jesus teaches God's words that say, if we love Him we will obey Him and the Trinity of God will come and make his home with him. If we do not love Him, we will not obey Him and God will not reside with us.
The Great Commission
The great commission that Jesus gave to His disciples contains four commands: 1) go; 2) make disciples of all nations; 3) baptize them; 4) teach them to observe everything that Jesus commanded. All of these commands pertain to doing good works, and they are all action oriented. The fourth command, "teaching them to observe everything that I commanded you", is a command to be obedient to everything that Jesus commanded. It may be a surprise to some people to hear that Jesus commanded His disciples to do things, because they have been taught that following Jesus is free, and therefore they do not have to do anything to follow Him. But if God did not expect His people to obey Jesus, then He would not have instructed His disciples to teach them to observe everything that He commanded. If Jesus is your Lord, then obedience to Him is mandatory. Remember Jesus's words, "Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, but do not do what I say?"?
Most Christians have delegated the Great Commission to missionaries and pastors, because there is a belief in the church that they are the "called ones". Couple this with the idea that God does not require Christians to do good works, and the result is a weak church that is viewed by outsiders as a religious gathering of judgemental people, that has no influence in its city or in the world.
However, Jesus's command to go and make disciples of all nations, is a call to all of His disciples. Pastors and missionaries are not elite Christians whom God has positioned above all other Christians to do His work. Jesus has commissioned all Christians to go and make disciples. It is true that not all Christians have the gift of evangelism, but God has given different gifts to each member of Christ's body for equipping Jesus's disciples for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
"Equipping the saints for ministry"? "Edifying the body of Christ"? These are also things that God has given His people to do. They are action oriented. The fact that God gives His people gifts for the purpose of ministry shows that He requires works of justice and righteousness from His people. I do not believe that He intended for His gifts to be restricted for use within a church building during a church service, but more-so outside of the walls of the building to do our part in bringing His Kingdom to earth, as it is in heaven.
One of the last things Jesus did before going to heaven, was prepare the apostles (equip the saints for ministry) by opening their understanding of the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). Prior to this point, they did not understand what Jesus was saying because they could not grasp His meaning (Luke 9:45). Their minds were blinded, just as Israel's were and still are today in the reading of the Old Testament, because a veil lies on their heart, and is taken away when one turns to the Lord and is in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:14-16). This was essential for them to properly interpret and understand the Scriptures because they were going to be making disciples, and teaching them everything Jesus commanded, as well as the Scriptures, so that they could know God. These disciples were going to be the church who represented the Lord Jesus, and therefore knowing God by what the Scriptures teach about Him was very important in keeping heresy and false teachers out of the church. False teachers who could lead disciples away from God, rather than to Him, and as apostles, part of their assignment was to protect the church from false teachers and heresy, hence the letters they wrote in the New Testament.
We see how the New Testament writers (who were either apostles, or were closely associated with apostles) apply spiritual meaning and understanding to many Old Testament passages, attesting to the fact that the veil had been lifted and their minds had been opened. The apostle Paul was so confident in his understanding of the Scriptures, that he said, "Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 1:13), and instructed his disciples to teach others what he taught: "The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others" (2 Timothy 2:2).
Just so we know that Paul is not puffing himself in, the apostle Peter also approved of Paul's teaching of the Scriptures and testified to Paul's inclusion in the family of God, his authority as an apostle, and his teachings as being Scripture:
"Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position" (2 Peter 3:15-17).
Thr apostle Peter wrote the church, saying that the Scripture that Paul writes is difficult to understand, and therefore ignorant and unstable people distort it, just as they do other Scriptures, and this is to their destruction. Then he tells them that they have been forewarned, so to be on guard so that they will not be led astray by the error of lawless men and fall from their secure position, indicating that a Christian's lack of understanding of the Scriptures can lead to their deception by false teachers who will cause them to fall away from Jesus. This is the reason why doing the work of equipping the saints for ministry and entrusting other reliable people who are qualified to teach others the Scriptures is so important.
The Holy Spirit
Speaking with the twelve disciples, Jesus revealed to them that the words He spoke and the works He did, were by the Father’s authority, who was living in Him. He instructed them to believe that He is in the Father and that the Father is in Him, but to at least believe in the evidence of the works He was doing. Then He said, "Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."
God did not stop working after the sixth day of creation. The Father was speaking and working through Jesus when He was on earth. Jesus was the conduit through which He worked to bring His Kingdom to earth. Some of the works that we see God working through Jesus to build His Kingdom are: healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers, casting out demons, preaching the gospel, calling others to follow Him, teaching His disciples, giving sight to the blind, sending His disciples out to reach others, rebuking, debating, and speaking God's truth to false teachers and those who oppose Him, teaching the Scriptures and giving proper interpretation of them to the religious groups and their leaders, correcting their misinterpretation when necessary, rebuking the religious establishment for worshipping God according to its laws and traditions, rather than according to God's ways, giving to the poor and needy, going to uncomfortable and dangerous places to bring one person into the Kingdom, sending that one person back to their own people to reach them, standing alone against the religious establishment that He was a part of while on earth because they did not believe that He was their Messiah, standing strong for the Kingdom of God in the face of adversity and opposition from His own people, continuing the work of God and remaining focused on the Kingdom despite death threats, opposition and persecution, continuing the work of God and remaining focused on the Kingdom despite knowing that the end result would be His death.
While He was here, Jesus discipled men whom God had instructed Him to call as His apostles, who would continue the work He had started when He left to return to heaven. They would now be the conduit through whom God worked to build His Kingdom. He told these men that whoever believes in Him will do the works He was doing; even greater works than His.This is because works are the evidence of faith, and faith without works is dead.
He also told them that He would not leave them as orphans on their own, but that He would ask the Father to send them another advocate who would always be with them, if they keep His commands. Keeping His commands is the sign of a Christian's love for Jesus. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commands... Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them...Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me."
Jesus is clear that those who keep His commands are the ones who love Him, and are the ones who He and the Father love, and who He will reveal Himself to. They are the ones to whom the Trinity will will make His home with (reside with). Anyone who does not love Him, will not keep His commands. Jesus did not make this up on His own, and neither do I, this is what the Father said. Loving God is not a feeling, but an action; it requires something of us. If we say we love God "and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in us? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence..."
The advocate, or Helper, that God sent to the apostles was the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, who lives in those who love Jesus (and have evidence of His love by keeping His commands). The world cannot accept Him because it does not see Him or know Him, but Christians know Him because He lives with them and in them.
Jesus did not leave the apostles as orphans, to do the work that He assigned to them, but He came to them and lived in them to teach them all things and to remind them of everything that He said to them.
When Jesus met with them before ascending to heaven, He said, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth, therefore go, make disciples, baptise, teach them to observe everything I have commanded... And surely I am with you always to the end of the age" (paraphrase). Jesus had received all authority in heaven and on earth. He took His throne as King, and was crowned Lord of all. He was given authority over all powers and principalities. It was by this authority that God had given Him for His faithfulness, that He was authorized to enlist the twelve apostles as His ambassadors in order to continue the work of the Kingdom which He had begun. God sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost just as Jesus had promised, and it was after that, that the assignment that Jesus left them to do began. Jesus was with them by the Holy Spirit living within them, and God's power worked mightily through them. It was only because they were connected to the Vine that they had the ability to bear such fruit, and take Christ to the nations.
Pistis: Marriage and Covenant
Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV
[8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— [9] not by works, so that no one can boast. [10] For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
The word faith in the Bible is often translated from the Greek word, pistis, which can mean more than simply believing. Besides belief, pistis can mean, faithfulness, trustworthiness, or persuasiveness. If one must have faith in order to be a son of God as Paul said, then one must be faithful, and trustworthy to Him, just as He is to us. A covenant is a relationship where both parties are faithful and trust one another .
Marriage is the most intimate relationship between human beings, and symbolizes the covenant that God made with His people. In a marriage, a man and a woman each vow before God to love and remain faithful to one another until death. This is a marriage covenant. Within a marriage covenant, both parties agree to the terms, and vow before God that they will love and remain faithful to one another, be trustworthy, remain loyal and committed to each other, and persevere, throughout the marriage, "'til death do us part". These elements are required in marriage, as well as in any relationship. Without them, a relationship is unhealthy at best.
A marriage covenant is not one sided, but both parties must work to maintain it. If one quits and stops loving, or being faithful, or being trustworthy, or being loyal, or persevering, then they have broken their vow before God, as well as their end of the covenant. They can either repent and choose to keep their vow before God and remain in the marriage covenant, or they can leave the marriage. If they leave the marriage due to sexual immorality, they have Biblical grounds for divorce, which is defined as "a separation of the thing which was once joined together." Jesus and Paul defined the Biblical grounds for divorce:
[5]‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? [6] So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
[7] “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”
[8] Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. [9] I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery" (Matthew 19:5-9 NIV).
[32] "But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery" (Matthew 5:32 NIV).
[12] "To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. [13] And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.
[15] But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace" (1 Corinthians 7:12-13, 15 NIV).
Unfaithfulness due to sexual immorality is the only acceptable reason Jesus gave for divorce. Paul added, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that an unbelieving spouse is permitted to divorce a believing spouse if they choose to do so. This is abandonment. God permits divorce in this case because if an unbelieving spouse chooses to leave the marriage simply because their spouse is a believer, they have shown themselves to be unfaithful by not keeping the vow they made before God, and therefore they have broken their end of the covenant. A husband and wife are not divorced in God's sight, unless it is due to at least one of these two acts of unfaithfulness, or one of them dies.
Jesus and Paul defined God’s standards for marriage and divorce, which He not only implemented for us, but He also abides by them. God intended marriage between a man and a woman to be symbolic of the relationship between Jesus and His people. Jesus is the Bridegroom and His people are His bride. Let's look at some of the similarities between the marriage covenant between a man and a woman, and the covenant between the Bridegroom and His bride.
According to Jesus, a person should only become a Christian after he has counted the cost of following Jesus. This is so he will know the love, commitment, loyalty, faithfulness, and perseverance that is required of him throughout his life. We do the same thing before marriage. It would be foolish not to, because marriage is a life long commitment.
After he has weighed the pros and cons, and has decided that Jesus is worth it and that he will remain faithful to Him until death, he agrees to the terms and enters into an everlasting covenant with God. He gets baptized as a symbol of entering into the covenant. The man is now in a covenant relationship with God, and is included in His bride.
If he is unfaithful to God by committing idolatry or by abandoning God, then he has broken his end of the covenant, and by God's own standards, God is not bound to remain in the relationship, and has (Biblical) grounds to separate from (divorce) him. Jesus said so when He answered the Jews's question about divorce. He said that God has joined the two together as one flesh, and therefore man has no right to separate the two (nor does he have the ability to) except for reasons of death and sexual immorality. If either spouse divorces for any other reason and then remarries, they are committing adultery.
The reason that God allows for divorce caused by sexual immorality is because it is unfaithfulness to the spouse, just as adultery is. God equates sexual immorality and adultery with idolatry. God said to Israel, "You shall have no other God's before me..., for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God" (Exodus 20:3-5). Idolatry is worshipping something other than God, which God commanded His people not to do. Just as adultery is unfaithfulness in a marriage, idolatry is unfaithfulness to God, and God does not permit His people to partake in either.
It was because of the northern kingdom of Israel's idolatry and unfaithfulness that God divorced her (Jeremiah 3:8). Furthermore, throughout the Old Testament, God described His people Israel as " harlot, adulterer", etc., due to their idolatry and unfaithfulness to Him. The Bible provides examples of God separating from Israel due to their unfaithfulness to Him:
When He divorced the northern kingdom of Israel and gave her over to Assyria because of her harlotry:
[8] She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore - Jeremiah 3:8 ESV
When He left the Jewish temple because He was giving the southern kingdom of Judah over to Babylon because her harlotry was worse than that of the northern kingdom's:
[18] Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. - Ezekiel 10:18 NKJV
When Jesus said that He wanted nothing more than to gather the children of Israel together, yet they were unwilling, and therefore He left their house desolate, meaning His presence left the temple. Shortly afterwards, it was destroyed by Roman armies:
[34] “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! [35] See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ” - Luke 13:34-35 NKJV
When Jesus said that the kingdom of God would be taken from Israel and given to another nation because she was not faithful to bear the fruits of it. This other nation is comprised of all ethné who have faith/faithfulness:
[43] “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. - Matthew 21:43 NKJV
God allows for men and women to divorce if there is unfaithfulness in their marriage, and He follows the same rule, as He has demonstrated with Israel. Israel was unfaithful to Him and were not administering righteousness and justice as He expected from the people He had elected to represent Himself, and His Kingdom. Therefore God, being righteous and just, severed His relationship with them and made a new covenant with people who are righteous and just through faith:
[6] "But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. [7] For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.
[8] But God found fault with the people and said: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. [9] It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. [10] This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. [11] No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. [12] For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
[13] By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear" (Hebrews 8:6-13 NIV).
One of God's primary attributes that the Bible consistently speaks about and that we praise Him for is His faithfulness to His people. If the old covenant had not been made obsolete, as the writer of Hebrews said it has, then God would be in two covenants, which would be similar to us being in two marriage covenants. And just as a man being in two marriage covenants would be an act of unfaithfulness, God would also be unfaithful if He was in two covenants with two different peoples. But fortunately God is faithful, and has a covenant with only one people - those who are faithful to Him.
Pistis: Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness
In Matthew 23, Jesus sharply rebuked the Jewish leaders for seven things which were an abomination to God, one of which was practicing their religious laws and traditions, but not "the more important matters of justice, mercy, and faithfulness":
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former" (Matthew 23:23 NIV).
Justice, mercy, and faithfulness are the important matters of the law in God's sight, but the Jews had neglected practicing them. This was not a light rebuke. Jesus proclaimed woes of judgment upon that generation of Jews. He was holding them personally responsible for their hypocrisy and the sins of their forefathers who had murdered the prophets. Jesus called them a brood of vipers, which means children of the devil, and said that they were condemned to hell. Furthermore, He said that all of the righteous blood that had been shed on earth was going to come upon them because they were going to persecute and kill all of the prophets, sages, and teachers that He sent to them. Not many years after this, God left the temple, and both it and Jerusalem, where God once resided, were destroyed in an act of judgment against them.
God wants His people to be aware of the mistakes that Israel made, so that we do not make the same ones. I think this is one of the primary reasons that God has given us their recorded history, which includes so many of their failures. Those who participate in the same hypocritical abominations that Jesus described Israel as doing, but do not practice the more important matters of justice, mercy, and faithfulness, will find that their fate is similar to that of Israel's in the end, which concerns me a lot. God wants His people to practice the more important matters of the law - justice, mercy, and faithfulness - which He created us in Christ Jesus for, and prepared us in advance to do for His purposes.
Jesus, the righteous Branch, came from David's line to do what is just and right in the land. He left, and returned to heaven, leaving His people as His ambassadors to continue His work of justice and righteousness in the land; the Kingdom of God overcoming the world. Thankfully, He did not leave us on our own as orphans to do this work, but He sent us a Helper until He returns. When He returns, He will throw Satan into the lake of fire, and remove all wickedness from the earth, establishing justice and righteousness throughout the land forever.
Fruits of Justice and Righteousness
What is God looking for from His people regarding justice and righteousness? He is looking for faithful servants who will represent Him as His ambassadors by continuing the work that Jesus and His apostles began.
Matthew 5:9:
• being a peacemaker
Matthew 25:35-36:
• giving water to the thirsty
• giving food to the hungry
• visiting those who are in prison
• giving clothing to the naked
• inviting strangers in
• visiting the sick
Matthew 28:19-20:
• intentionally going and making
disciples of all ethné along the way
• baptizing new disciples of Jesus into
God's family
• teaching new disciples of Jesus to
observe everything He commanded His
apostles
James 1:27:
• visiting orphans in their trouble
• visiting widows in their trouble
• remaining unblemished from the world
James 2:1-10
• not showing partiality to the rich and
wealthy, but giving honor to the poor
John 17:21-23:
• praying for and promoting oneness in
Christ for the body of Christ
1 Corinthians 12:26:
• suffering with the other members of the
body of Christ
• rejoicing with the other members of the
body of Christ
Proverbs 31:8-9
[8] Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. [9] Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Matthew 5:44:
• loving your enemies
• blessing those who curse you
• doing good to those who hate you
• praying for those who spitefully use you
and persecute you
Matters of injustice:
• abortion
• government, religious, racial and
economical oppression
• persecution
• the removal of rights and lack of fair
judgment of those who cannot speak for
themselves and the poor and needy
• rapists, murderers, and other violent
criminals getting away with their crimes
• human trafficking
Ideas for Upcoming Events
• Prayer event for the persecuted church
• Thanksgiving/Christmas gathering
• 24:14 vision cast
• Father's Day Cookout
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