Righteousness -- the Missing Ingredient

I cannot help but recall the nonsense which characterizes so many "Celebrate Recovery" meetings.

What was I thinking?

In all truth, I was convinced that I was so completely wrong, that there was no way that I could know truth from error in my life.

I was lost in my life, so lost. I had made rash decisions, dogged by a sense of failure and inadequacy which I could not shake.

I was ignorant of God's Word on many accounts.

"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

"For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

"But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5: 12-14)

I had no idea whatsoever the crucial -- Cross-ail -- role of righteousness.

I knew that Jesus died for my sins, but I  had never really settled on that. Like many believers in the Body of Christ, I was convinced that the life that I was called to live on this earth was up to me. I knew that I had a place in Heaven reserved for me, but as for making it on the earth, I was on my own.

I have since learned about the "exchanged" life which I have received in Christ Jesus:

"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." (2 Corithians 5: 21)

This issue of "righteousness" is absolute essential, for without His righteousness, we are dead in our trespasses.

Righteousness gives us peace:

"And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." (Isaiah 32: 17)

God blesses us because of the righteousness which we have received:

"The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted." (Proverbs 10: 24)

then

"As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation." (Proverbs 10: 25)

also

"The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish." (Proverbs 10: 28)

"Hope does not make us ashamed." (Romans 5: 5)

Back to Hebrews 5: 12. Because we are then skilled in righteousness, fully aware of who we are in Christ, and all that He has for us, we then receive the departure point to discern "good and evil."

Righteousness is part of parcel of the Holy Spirit living in us (Romans 14: 17), and this same Holy Spirit has given us all knowledge (1 John 2: 20, 27)

Righteousness, not sin, deserves all the attention now in the Body of Christ. Resting in His righteousness is the root that bears fruit in our lives.

"A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved." (Proverbs 12: 3)

and then

"The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit." (Proverbs 12: 12)