RIGHTEOUSNESS

“Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem; see now and know; and seek in her open places if you can find a man, if there is anyone who executes judgment, who seeks the truth, and I will pardon her!” (Jer. 5:1 NKJV).

Having described the judgments impending on Jerusalem, Jeremiah now speaks about the supremacy of righteousness and about the safety in righteousness.

Supremacy of righteousness – “Seek in her open places if you can find a man, if there is anyone who executes judgment, who seeks the truth.” Our verse indicates that God is very much interested in righteousness. The fundamental attribute of God is holiness. Here in our verse, He does not inquire about riches but about righteousness. On the other hand, men are seldom interested in righteousness. In fact if you want to impress people and move up in society, being righteous is not the way to go. Turning a blind eye to sin and immorality get you noticed. However, with God it is righteousness that is important.

Safety in righteousness – “And I will pardon her.” Our verse indicates that if one righteous man was found in Jerusalem, God would spare the city of destruction. A similar situation existed with Sodom back in the days of Abraham. God told Abraham that Sodom would be destroyed by God. Abraham pleaded with God to spare the city for the sake of the righteous in it. Abraham requested that if fifty righteous were found in the city, it would be spared. God agreed, but fifty righteous could not be found. Abraham kept praying and finally ended at ten righteous. God said He would spare the city for ten righteous. Unfortunately for Sodom, there were not ten righteous so Sodom was destroyed. All of this points to the fact that the greatest safety of a nation is found in its righteous citizens. As far as other people are concerned, you may be considered a nobody. However, if you are righteous, you are more valuable to the well-being of your country than all the famous and powerful put together.

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“A holy life is a voice - it speaks when the tongue is silent and is either a constant attraction or a perpetual reproof!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Dissipation

In Luke 21:34 we read, “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap!” (NASB).

Dissipation is the Greek word kraipalē (κραιπάλη = krahee-pal'-ay). It means carousing; headache (from excessive drinking). The word is used to describe excessive drinking and the carousing and drunkenness that follows. It also includes the symptoms of hangover, headache, nausea, etc. that follows. This word can also refer to dizziness, staggering, clouded thinking, and similar consequences related to excessive alcohol intake. It describes drunken behavior without moral restraint.

In classical Greek, kraipalē is used to describe drunkenness and its results. There is no reference to kraipalē in the Septuagint. In the New Testament, kraipalē is used only once, here in Luke 21:34. The word was used to denote drunkenness and the worries of life - all things which the believer in the Lord Jesus must be guarded against in light of His soon return.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – Messiah would bear the penalty for man’s iniquities (Isa. 53:5)

New Testament Fulfillment – 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 2:9

Did You Know…

In the Bible it states that we come to Jesus (John 5:40; 6:35, 37, 45, 65; 7:37).

Bible Quiz

In the Book of Revelation who was found to be “worthy to open the scroll” with the seven seals?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: What amazed Jesus upon revisiting his hometown? The townspeople’s lack of faith (Mark 6:6).

Names of the Lord Jesus Found in the Bible

“Faithful and True Witness”

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, these things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God!” (Rev. 3:14 NKJV).

1. Meaning – The Lord Jesus is faithful.

2. Insights – The Lord Jesus Christ is truth in the flesh. His witness is always faithful, and we can trust His word.

3. Related Titles – The Amen (Rev. 3:14); Faithful and True (Rev. 19:11); Truth (John 14:6).

Did You Know – Christian History

Benjamin Titus (B.T.) Roberts was born in 1823 in Buffalo, New York. He was an American Methodist bishop and founder of Roberts Wesleyan College.

By the age of 16, Roberts was a schoolmaster and studying law. Nearing acceptance to the bar in 1844, and facing a spiritual climax, he made a crucial decision - “Christ demanded an unconditional surrender,” he said. “I made it.” Giving up his legal apprenticeship, he committed to train for the Methodist ministry.

By 1853 Roberts, an ordained minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and grew increasingly uncomfortable with the way the church was organized and noted an actual decline in the growth of Methodist church membership. He attributed this decline to a low spirituality among the church members and ordained leadership, whom he believed were more focused on the worldly (financial) than spiritual issues.

Breaking away from the current conventional church to start a new movement was risky. In Roberts’ case, taking a risk to live by his convictions changed the course of the Church. However, before deciding to start a new church, Roberts tried to create change within the Methodist Episcopal Church. He wanted slave owners removed from membership and the opportunity for multiethnic groups to worship together. But slavery was a lucrative business.

Eventually, Roberts was removed from membership of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1860. Shortly after, he met with several other like-minded pastors and a couple hundred laity in a field under an apple tree in Perkins, New York. This group of leaders created the Free Methodist movement. Roberts was not only founder of the Free Methodist Church, but an advocate for the abolishment of slavery, equity for women in ministry, and farmers’ rights.

That same year Roberts founded a magazine, the Earnest Christian. In 1866 he founded Chili Seminary in North Chili, New York (now Roberts Wesleyan College). He was general superintendent of the Free Methodist Church from 1860 to 1893. He traveled extensively and was a frequent speaker at Holiness camp meetings.

A Little Humor

When I asked my friend if she was planning to attend church, she just shook her head. “I haven’t gone in a long time,” she said. “Besides, it’s too late for me. I’ve probably already broken all seven commandments.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Only fools fool with sin!”