DAY 195

RIGHTEOUSNESS

Psalm 7, 8 & 9 and Acts 18

Having just read Job, I feel like Psalm 7 is throwback to much of that book. I personally am a bit squeamish to say to God, “…judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness…” The Psalm starts with the phrase, “O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge…” and it ends with “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness. It is just that middle bit that makes me uneasy – my righteousness – really?

Psalm 8 is praise, pure praise; it is that simple. Have you ever just wanted to pour out you heart to God in praise? Psalm 9 proclaims the deeds of the Lord. It also contains a sense that God is just, that the wicked are punished and those that are righteous but downtrodden are set right.

The Psalms are beautiful, but they contain that sense of theology that we have seen in Job. Now it is very true that God is righteous and he is interested in his people being righteous, but…well let’s hold that thought as we turn to the New Testament lesson.

Acts 18 is full of action and events: we read first about Paul in Corinth. He spends one and a half years there preaching and teaching. His method is the same. Start with the Jewish community and then go to the Gentiles. He has great results as “many of the Corinthians believed” including the synagogue ruler. Of course it turns sour and people oppose and try to persecute Paul. God speaks to Paul to not be afraid!

We then read of Paul going to Ephesus, Philippi and Galatia. Think about the letters we have in the New Testament. We have two to Corinth, one each to Ephesus, Philippi, and Galatia.

So here is the question, “Why is Paul running all around, going and debating with people about Jesus?” Because he believes that Jesus is the Son of God…God come to earth, and even more then his earthly visit, his death and resurrection have settled the account of sin…in other words made us righteous!

What Paul is so excited about is that God has come and fulfilled the Covenant Promise and made us his sons and daughters. Now we can, as Psalm 7 proclaims say, “Judge me O Lord according to my righteousness” because our righteousness is found in Christ Jesus.